


Run Free

by Taffyberry



Category: Warcraft - All Media Types, World of Warcraft
Genre: Childhood Friends, Crime, Detective, F/F, F/M, Mystery, SI:7, agent - Freeform, rogue - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-31
Updated: 2018-07-31
Packaged: 2019-06-19 12:00:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15509415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Taffyberry/pseuds/Taffyberry
Summary: Anduin Llane Wrynn has taken an interest in solving crimes thanks to his new-found love of mystery novels. This puts him working with an SI:7 agent who wants to do more than paperwork and simple crimes. What happens when you put a prince with a perchant for getting into trouble together with an eccentric and reckless rogue? Nothing good, that's for sure. Anduin is positive Bella is the oddest person he's ever met, she seems to go backwards but always ends up where she intended; yet he can't help but think she's the most exciting thing to  happen to him for the longest time.





	Run Free

**Author's Note:**

> Yes I know another story, but I just had... no inspiration for the others. Well, that's a lie I do, one chapter for brambles is almost done but I just-- sighs! haha I wanted to write about this character, have a lighter story because the other two are a bit darker. 
> 
> Set a few years post Pandaria, assumes Garrosh died there and Draenor never happened :D.

The last time Bella had been within the keep of Stormwind had been for a ball about two years ago. It had changed little since, which she found quite amusing considering the world had changed a fair bit since then. Or, at least, she felt it had changed a lot. That she had changed a lot. She wondered if she had truly, when she thought about it, her life was the same. She still did paperwork in SI:7, she still woke up late in the mornings because she stayed awake too late. Yet she felt different. She guessed there was a difference between being twenty-one and now being twenty-three. At twenty-one she was closer to twenty than she was twenty-five, but now she was closer to the latter and it just—it felt odd. 

The answer to why the keep hadn’t changed much was sitting in front of her, in the form of the high king, Varian Wrynn. A stoic man of intimidating stature and a frequent frown upon his face. She never saw him laugh. In fact, Bella was often quite glad her work kept her away from the keep just to avoid him. He was a good man, her father said frequently, a good king. He did what needed to be done, he didn’t second guess himself. She didn’t have anything against him, she didn’t really know him. She knew the guard rotations of those that patrolled the halls of the keep at night, and she knew the name of every bodyguard the king had at any time, but she didn’t know him.

Bella’s bright green eyes scanned the room for the hidden SI:7 agents she knew would be tucked away somewhere. All exactly where they were supposed to be, all easily seen, all apart from—

Mathias Shaw stepped towards the king, shoulders back and chest out. Bella rolled her eyes, turning to a guard nearby and eyeing him up. She knew this one, newly appointed, young. And he was nervous, very nervous. She could see the sweat on his forehead, the lump in his throat as he gulped down her mischievous gaze. Bella took a step towards him.

“Bella,” Mathias sighed deeply, rubbing his forehead to ease the headache. She was always incorrigible, and he was certain were it not for the presence of the king, she would be her usual eccentric self, probably somehow relating the lighting of the chandelier to the icing on some cake she’d eaten for breakfast. “Don’t play with the guards.”

“But I always wanted a toy set of soldiers,” she grinned, turning her head towards the two men. Her white blonde hair was tied back, a few pieces left to frame her pale face. It was early winter, but by the peppering of freckles across her nose no one could have ever guessed. She wore brown leather pants and black boots, with a white blouse, unbuttoned at the top where a simple necklace sat. She raised her hand to brush some of the loose strands of hair behind her ear, but her fingers paused to trace the scar across her chin. “Why am I here?”

“Not to claim my guards as toys,” Varian said firmly, though she was certain there was a playful twinkle in his eye. She grinned wolfishly at him, turning her body to face the two of them. “I need someone.”

Before the spymaster could stop her, Bella already had her mouth open and words spewing from it. “I’m sure we all need someone, your majesty, and while I know a great deal of lovely women, and a few men, I’m not sure any are quite to your taste.”

One of the guards coughed as Mathias groaned, rubbing his hand down his face. Why was she like this? This was why, or at least one reason why, she was always kept at the headquarters doing paperwork. She was a full agent, she had been for quite some time, but she was like this; childish, quick to talk but not think, quick to act but not plan, reckless, impatient. Yet, Varian just chuckled softly. He’d heard about her from the spymaster, of course he had.

“You look so much like your mother,” the king mused. “Yet you act entirely unlike her.”

Bella’s eyes curled up into a smile he wasn’t entirely sure he knew how to interpret. Her hand came back to play with one strand of hair. “My mother had a great deal more restraint and poise than I do, sir. She was a fair and beautiful woman. Probably more intelligent than I, too, sir, since I believe she could keep her mouth shut even when she felt a funny comment.”

“Bella,” Mathias sighed again. “Let the king speak.”

“It’s alright,” Varian said again, leaning forward in his chair. He watched her, hawk eyes as she wandered around the room. She’d been there a lot, maybe not recently, but he wasn’t foolish; she knew every single part of this room like the back of her hand. At one time she had run around the keep hiding from her mother, or had followed her mother around, clinging to her leg as she saw to her duties. It seemed like another life, another time. Almost twenty years. Times changed, Varian supposed. “My son has taken an interest in crime solving recently.”

Bella paused, glancing over her shoulder in time to see the king pull a face which told her he was anything but happy about that interest. She chuckled, turning back to the guard she was studying. She knew this one, too, she’d been around for a while, had a secret affair with one of the noble’s eldest daughters. Bella gave the guard a knowing grin, then turned back to the king, hands behind her back as she paced back. Mathias watched her carefully. “And where do I fit into this?”

“I would like him to be accompanied, and Master Shaw has mentioned that you would like to take a more active role, so he suggested you.”

“With all respect, sir,” Bella paused, eyeing up the spymaster. “But the prince is soon twenty-five, I’m sure he does not need a babysitter.”

Mathias laughed this time. “That boy gets into more trouble than you can imagine, Bells.”

Varian nodded. “He often goes too far, plus if he’s sneaking around I can’t be sure he’s not getting into something that will get him killed. Think of it less like babysitting, more teaching him how to use the available resources and handle crimes.”

Bella wasn’t entirely sure what to say or think. It was true that she wanted to get out of doing administrative jobs, and she enjoyed solving crimes, but she wanted to be doing something her training had, well, trained her for. The crime solving was for that department of SI:7, she’d trained to be a field agent. Not some… glorified detective. But, she reasoned again, it was a lot better than paperwork and files and running around after everyone else. “And Master Shaw suggested me?” she asked.

“Amongst a few others.”

“I knew it,” she frowned.

Mathias chuckled, coming to stand in front of her. “I wouldn’t suggest you for no reason, I can’t put only your name forward. How would that look?”

“As if you had faith in my abilities,” she snorted.

“As if I was putting favouritism on my daughter,” he corrected, putting his hands on her shoulders and sighing deeply. “I know you’d rather be out there-“

“You got that right.”

His eyes narrowed. “But you have to work with me here. You can say no, if you wish, this is probably going to create more paperwork anyway.”

Bella grimaced. “And you said that to make me agree. I hate paperwork.”

Varian sighed, looking wistfully out towards the public gardens. That was a sentiment he related to. He didn’t have the patience for it, he preferred work that involved his hands, and even more so when it involved his sword. He snapped his head back to her. “Do you take the job?”

She wasn’t entirely sure she had a choice. Bella folded her arms under her chest and let out a small sigh, yet the two men could tell by the smirk on her face that she was more amused and playing as though she was annoyed than anything. “I don’t suppose I have much of a choice, do I?” she unfolded her arms, letting them swing beside her. 

“Good because I already got the servants to set a room aside for the pair of you to work in.”

Bella sighed, shaking her head at the king. “Would you have held me at knife point if I’d said no?”

Mathias laughed, shaking his head at her. “Braver men than we wouldn’t even try that with you, Bells.”

“It’s funny,” she mused. “I’m not allowed on field duty because I’m too unpredictable, but here you are, acting as though I was predictable about taking this.”

Her father laughed again, motioning towards a door for her to go down. He followed her, keeping close to her and his voice lower. “If there’s one thing you’re predictable about, its that you’ll do anything to get out of paperwork.”

“Mmhmm,” she agreed, stretching her arms out behind her. “So how is this working?”

“I’ll have a selection of cases brought to I guess what will be your office,” he smirked at her when she shuddered at the word. She really hated desk jobs. “Work with the prince, guide him, teach him. Keep him from getting into trouble,” he said firmly. “And return the solved ones to headquarters.”

“And what about arrests?” she asked, staring hesitantly at the door he’d stopped in front of. An office. Usually she just had a paper covered desk at the side of her father's office in the headquarters.

“You can handle that, though I’m not sure the prince should be seen actually arresting people,” he chuckled at the idea, pulling a key from his pocket to unlock the door. He then turned and handed it to her, opened the door, and motioned for her to step inside first.

It wasn’t a large room, and it was empty apart from a few books in the corner (which Bella decided she may have to remove). Bella decided she liked it, though. There was one window on the west facing wall which had a nice view of the lake. “And the prince…?” 

“You’ve met him-“

“A long time ago,” She said simply.

Mathias sighed; why his daughter was such a loner he had no clue. She was out going, quite extroverted but he couldn’t even name one friend of hers. The noble girls had been her friends when she was younger, but as she’d grown… odder after her mother’s death they’d slowly begun to exclude her. She had dealings with them frequently, he knew that, but they weren’t friendly or close. Maybe this would be good for her, or maybe she would get so annoyed at always having to be near Anduin that she would lock him out of the room. The idea amused him. They would be an interesting mix together; Bella was anything but the pacifist Anduin seemed inclined to be. 

“I’m sure the King will bring him here at some point in the day, for now just settle in—do what you always do and make everything messy.”

Bella snorted. “It’s not mess.”

“Your workspaces always look as if a tornado rushed through it, your apartment is the same,” he deadpanned. 

“I can always find what I need,” she sniffed, walking to the window and humming. The room needed colour, perhaps she could get a few paintings to hang, maybe a few plants, too. 

“Can you?” he muttered. “I thought you misplaced important files frequently.”

Bella hit his arm playfully, but laughed anyway. Maybe if she proved herself here, she’d end up on active duty in the field. Bella knew the main reason she didn’t get those assignments were her father being overprotective, but if she did such a good job here, he wouldn’t be able to stop her, would he? 

Mathias sighed at the grin forming on her face. “I don’t even know what you’re planning-“ he paused. “Now, you’re basically in charge of Anduin, but don’t forget he’s the prince,” he said firmly.

“I read that he’s good at slipping away from his guards,” she said, not doing anything to hide her pure amusement that a prince could get away from some fully trained SI:7 agents.

“Yes,” Mathias muttered, not seeming too pleased. “Which is another reason the king looked within SI:7 to find someone to help with this, while he’s getting into trouble you’ll be responsible for protecting him. Just don’t let on that you’re essentially here for his protection and he won’t try and lose you.”

Bella didn’t know whether to laugh or not. It seemed ridiculous. Honestly, why couldn’t Anduin do it on his own with his current guards? He wasn’t helpless, obviously, and if they gave him crimes that weren’t dangerous he’d never even need to leave the city. She knew as well as her father how many agents were in the city hidden out of sight at any given time. Nothing happened in Stormwind without them knowing. “Why is the king even pretending to induldge him?” she questioned.

“The same reason I induldge you from time to time,” Mathias replied, heading to the door. 

“And that is?”

“Because you’re my daughter.”

Bella wasn’t sure that was a proper answer, but was left alone in the room as the door closed behind him. Did it matter? She felt for the prince; he was just being treated like a fragile baby, just like she was by her father. 

Now, where should she start with the room? Bella looked around. It absolutely needed paintings, she’d bring some from home she had stowed away perhaps. Bella nodded. And a clock, it needed a clock. Maps and charts, too. She checked her pocket watch wondering when the prince would appear.

Bella locked the door, then paused and opened it. She peered at the guard outside, rolling her eyes; of course, it was the keep after all. “If the prince arrives please tell him I’ll be back soon. I need to pick up some items.”

“Of course, my lady.”

She cringed a little at the title, but grinned and disappeared back into the room, not missing the puzzled look on the guard. She locked the door again and headed to the window, opening it wide and climbing out of it. Just the first floor, she noted, letting herself down easily.

Half an hour later, the room looked much better. She’d had no time for paintings (apart from a small one she took from above her former desk at headquarters) or plants, but she’d managed to get some maps, charts, and some records and files to populate the room. She stood back, staring at the hung painting. There was something off with it.

KNOCK KNOCK!

Her green eyes moved to the door and she smirked softly. “You don’t need to knock,” she sighed softly.

There was a pause, before the door opened. She would have laughed at how flustered and excited the prince looked but she was so struck at how much he’d grown since she’d last been in a room with him. Was he truly only two years older than her? Odd. He looked as though he didn’t quite know what to say though, a little awkward.

Bella came to stand in front of him. “I’m Bella Shaw.”

“I know,” he said quickly. “We met, a lot-“ he frowned. “Though I haven’t seen you since that ball two years ago.”

“I don’t do dresses, and therefore I don’t do balls, so I stopped attending them,” she said simply.

“You wore that green dress,” he carried on. “You looked really beautiful. You left before any dancing started.”

Bella paused on the compliment, wanting to laugh at how much of a sweet talker he seemed. Oh, she was going to have to be careful of this one trying to charm his way into getting into trouble! “I don’t do dancing either. I had trousers on under. I climbed out of the window in the hall, the one that goes into the gardens. Climbed down the trellis and had a much better evening.”

“You could have left out of the door, no one was keeping you there,” he pointed out.

“I don’t do doors,” She said simply. “They’re boring. I don’t do boring.”

A frown crossed the prince’s face and she chuckled. “So, what do you do?”

“Me? I do solving crimes, I suppose.” Not entirely true, but she did like getting criminals off the streets, and some crimes were interesting enough that she enjoyed them. She blinked a few times, her green eyes large as she watched him, before she moved towards the lone painting. She cocked her head a few times, a few more strands of her white blonde hair falling free, before she turned the painting slightly.

“It was straight before,” Anduin said with a frown. She was odder than he remembered, he always unwillingly heard gossip at social functions. She was laughed about frequently for how odd she was, but he’d never—well… she’d never been this strange before. “Now it’s wonky.”

“I know,” she said, looking over her shoulder at him with a large grin. “Isn’t it great?”

For some reason, the blonde prince found himself laughing and smiling at her. Maybe she was odd, but that didn't make her a bad person, and he reasoned this person was in a roundabout way doing him a favour. "I didn't think my father would ever let me be without SI:7 agents."

Bella paused, watching him. He didn't know? She laughed deep within her throat, moving towards a stack of files that had been brought over. What did he think, she was some city guard, or... private investigator? Honestly, for someone who was supposedly quite bright, he was quite clueless. "I don't like those agents," she said simply. 

"Why not?"

"They're sneaky," she said simply, enjoying the little joke far too much. "You can't trust an SI:7 agent. And SI:8 are even worse."

Anduin paused in walking forward. "SI:8? What's that?"

Bella feigned surprise, giving a small gasp. "You don't know about it?" She asked, keeping her voice low. 

"A-are you messing with me?" He asked, feeling quite affronted. 

"Maybe," she replied, giving him a grin and moving behind her desk where she bent over it, resting her hands on either side of a map of the city. She chuckled at how put out he seemed, lowering her eyes to the desk. "I'm sorry, your highness, should I not be making jokes at the prince's expense?"

He considered his reply. He wasn't upset or insulted by her at all, in fact he found it quite amusing at how quickly he'd fallen for a little joke. A harmless joke. "Considering we're going to be working together for some time, perhaps we could drop titles," he suggested. "It will get a bit old otherwise."

Bella stood up straight, folding one arm under her chest as she regarded him. He seemed a sweet kid, from what she remembered he'd always been quiet and polite. Once upon a time, in a life that seemed as though it could never have been hers, she remembered a beautiful woman trying to encourage her rather shy daughter to befriend him. "You should know something, if we're going to be... 'friends', for lack of term," she said quietly, dropping her eyes for a moment, before looking back up at him. "I am an SI:7 agent."

"You are?" He asked, looking surprised.

"What's the surprise?" She muttered.

"N-nothing, I just... remember you being... rather uncoordinated."

Bella snorted, sitting down and staring at him pointedly. "That's a bit rich coming from the prince who has two left feet and avoids dancing at balls because of it."

"How do you know that?" He asked quickly, his cheeks burning as he moved closer.

"I know everything about everyone," she shrugged. "I used to handle all the files at headquarters, you kind of learn things after you organise them frequently."

Anduin's jaw tightened, jutting out slightly. What else did she know? He felt at a disadvantage here—then again, this wasn't a typical social situation with nobles. There was no reason to one up her, no reason to hold an advantage by knowing more about her. They were just supposed to be working together. The prince sighed, taking the other seat. "So, where do we start, Bella?"

"I thought you'd never ask," Bella said, giving him a sly look as she pushed a file across the desk towards him. "This is where we start, Anduin."


End file.
